NEW ORLEANS - Thomas Robinson's rise from valuable role player to All-American was the biggest individual story in Kansas' run to the national championship game.
The 6-10 junior forward also sent his NBA draft stock soaring in the process and his early departure would leave a big hole in Kansas' front line but perhaps not an insurmountable one. (Robinson is currently projected as the third pick in June's draft by the web site NBAdraft.net).
Robinson would take his 17.7 points and 11.7 rebounds a game with him, along with the prospect of improving those numbers as a senior.
His departure would likely mean the continued development of junior center Jeff Withey would be a key for KU next season. Withey, who had blocked 27 shots in his first five NCAA tournament games and had seven in the semifinals against Ohio State, was the Big 12's defensive player of the year.
His averages of 9.1 points and 6.3 rebounds were fairly pedestrian but he scored 14 or more points six times and improved his scoring average by almost seven points a game from the 2010-11 season. He could be more active offensively as a senior.
Reserve forward Kevin Young would likely also be counted on for more after playing about 11 minutes a game this season and averaging 3.5 points and 3 rebounds.
The Jayhawks are losing starting point guard Tyshawn Taylor, who almost doubled his career scoring average this season when he reached 16.5 points a game. Taylor led the team in assists but was also sometimes prone to turnovers.
Also departing is valuable reserve guard Conner Teahan, a former walk-on, who played in every game this season and averaged 5.6 points.
Scheduled to return to the backcourt are a pair of versatile veterans, 6-6 Travis Releford and 6-4 Elijah Johnson.
Releford averaged 8.6 points and 4.3 rebounds from his wing position this season and Johnson, who can play either the point or shooting guard spot, was the team's second-leading NCAA tournament scorer through the first five games, averaging 13.4 points to go along with 5 rebounds a game in the postseason.
Coach Bill Self moved to shore up his frontcourt in November's early signing period, even before Robinson's big season. The Jayhawks received letters of intent from 6-8 Perry Ellis, a five-star recruit from Wichita, Kan., 6-9 Zach Peters from Plano, Texas, and 6-10 Landen Lucas from Portland, Ore. So some help appears to be coming if Robinson leaves.
And if he departs, the Jayhawks would have another scholarship to offer should Self choose to use it this spring.
Two members of Self's staff will be moving to other positions and must be replaced. Longtime assistant Danny Manning, a star of KU's 1988 national championship team, was named last week as the new head coach at Tulsa. And director of basketball operations Barry Hinson is leaving to become head coach at Southern Illinois.
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